diff --git a/dev/merge_arrow_pr.py b/dev/merge_arrow_pr.py
index f6ecc7d1ffaf..490ee787e337 100755
--- a/dev/merge_arrow_pr.py
+++ b/dev/merge_arrow_pr.py
@@ -426,7 +426,9 @@ def extract_co_authors(commit):
         commit_title = f'{self.title} (#{self.number})'
         commit_message_chunks = []
         if self.body is not None:
-            commit_message_chunks.append(self.body)
+            # avoid github user name references by inserting a space after @
+            body = re.sub(r"@(\w+)", "@ \\1", self.body)
+            commit_message_chunks.append(body)
 
         committer_name = run_cmd("git config --get user.name").strip()
         committer_email = run_cmd("git config --get user.email").strip()